Reason for this project

Few years ago, I’ve worked at a business unit in an old residential area in Thanh Xuan district, Hanoi. It’s the commune dormitory which was built in 1980s, during the era of socialistic delusion after Vietnam War, for the employees of a tobacco factory. The apartment blocks looked as old, tired, and poor as the people live inside. There were several things that remind you of Orwell’s 1984. One of those was the propaganda chalk drawings on the communal notice boards to celebrate Lunar New Year (approximately in late Jan or early Feb) and the anniversary of founding of the Vietnam Communist Party (in early Feb). The drawings are mixture of typography, quotes, catchphrases, and hand-drawn floral illustrations.

In 2016, I found two boards attractive enough and took the very first photos. Some of the board in that area, some of one near my house. However, I had no idea what to do next with them. In Feb 2018, two years after having moved, when I came back in a short visit, the propaganda message on the boards there has becomeno longer chalk drawn. They printed vinyl posters instead. I suddenly realized even this kind of kitsch would be a vanishing beauty of Hanoi someday. Therefore, I decided to go around my city and take photos to have a collection of the chalk-drawn notice boards in Lunar New Year holidays. Hope you enjoy it!